Power Unlimited

Power Unlimited is a Dutch multi-format computer and video games magazine. It is the biggest gaming magazine in the Benelux. The first issue was released in June 1993.

History

Power Unlimited started in June 1993 in Bjorn Bruinsma's basement as a new label of VNU Business Publications. With VNU's other labels being primarily free business magazines, a gaming magazine was considered a big risk that lacked a real audience. That's why they decided to start it up in Bjorn Bruinsma's basement. VNU started out with only freelance editors. One year later, the concept had proven itself worthy, and an Editor in Chief and Final Editor were employed. Since that first year, Power Unlimited has become the biggest gaming magazine of the Benelux countries.

Power Unlimited has expanded to other activities, organizing an annual gaming event since 2003, and hosting the television show Gamekings.

From November 2007, Power Unlimited was published by HUB Uitgevers (HUB Publishers), after being taken over from VNU Media.

In August 2013 HUB Uitgevers filed bankruptcy.^[1] As of September Power Unlimited was taken over by the newly formed Reshift Digital.^[2]

Features

Reviews

In the 20-year history of the magazine, more than 4,000 games have been reviewed. Reviewed games are given an overall score out of 100. Although several games have received scores high in the 90s, only sixteen have been given a perfect 100: these are Escape From CyberCity, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Sentinel Returns, Art of Fighting 2, Tekken, NBA Jam, Gran Turismo 2, Super Mario Galaxy, Grand Theft Auto IV, LittleBigPlanet, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Fallout 3 ^[3] and Grand Theft Auto V.^[4]

Sometimes, however, such as with the game Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, a bogus score is given to make a statement. In the above case, the game was rewarded a score of 99, 1 point higher than The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess which was, according to the editor in question, extremely overrated.^[5] This was also the case with the game Beavis and Butthead, which was given a 132.^[6]

Other features

The magazine offers news, (p)reviews, a column by either one of the editors or someone games-related, various miscellaneous articles, as well as a comic and a mailbox where readers can voice their opinion, or sometimes have their questions answered by the editors. Editors have stated that the magazine is as much about games as it is about the (gaming) lives of the editors, their experiences in the office, etc.

Target audience

The magazine targets the teenage gamer demographic, specifically male gamers between 12 and 20 years old.^[7] Because of the relatively young target audience, Power Unlimited's tone of voice is often rather straightforward and humorous. For example: to most screenshots of featured games jokes and oneliners are added by Final Editor Ed Wiggemans.

Editorial team

When the magazine started in 1993, it started in the basement of the home of Bjorn Bruinsma. He was responsible for negotiating with legal and grey-area game importers, advertising and production, before VNU Media decided it was good enough to publish internally. The editorial team consisted of Bjorn Bruinsma (who wrote more than 80% of the first issue), Kees de Koning, Michael Schaeffer, Ben de Dood. David Lemereis and Adam Eeuwens. The publisher at VNU Media was Matt Heffels.

After a year, Power Unlimited hired two employees: Editor in Chief Edwin Ammerlaan and current Final Editor Ed Wiggemans. Although most online editors are working on a freelance basis, some of the editors of the paper magazine are employed.

The editorial team consists of:

• Jan Meijroos (Editor in Chief
• Ed Wiggemans (Final Editor)
• Wouter Brugge
• Jan-Johan Belderok (nicknamed "JJ")
• Florian Houtkamp
• Jurjen Tiersma
• Willem van der Meulen (nicknamed "Graddus")
• Samuel Hubner Casado
• Tjeerd Lindeboom
• Nino de Vries

The magazine styling is done by Johnny Rijbroek, the comic at the back of the magazine by Jordi Peters.

External links

• Power Unlimited website

References